Just recently, the prominent members of the Marlborough Moose Family Center 1129 raised toasts as they celebrated their centenarian anniversary with a bang last Sept. 22, 2012, which is also the 60th year of the center’s present headquarters at Fitchburg Street. ‘The Family Fraternity’, unconditional brotherhood is what Moose International shares their passion to the world with. And numerous members of the Moose were also introduced to the entire assembly by way of family ties and relations, and that includes Steven Ronayne, who is the current administrator of the organization.
He was quoted stating “I joined because my father has been a member forever; I grew up playing at the Moose.” And of course, his wife Nancy, who is the manager of the said lodge bar and also one of the staunch and active members of Marlborough Women of the Moose Chapter 657 stated that in order for a building to be called a family center, it has to serve the very functions of a home and cater to the children’s play area as well. At Marlborough Moose, the kids are of course treated to a myriad of holiday getaways and celebrations all year round. The entire family is entitled to attend the annually held grand Family Day.
Presently, the lodge holds and gives a toast to many yearly events especially for all the members of the family center and their guests, including a kids-sought Halloween bonanza. For this year’s Halloween party, the organization is planning to highlight the event by expanding it from the inside of the building to the backyard, which will then feature a grand pavilion and festive picnic tables.
Ronayne added that they’ll be having a big upstairs party plus they’ll also put up a fun haunted house for kids in the woods as well. What’s really nice about the event is that the gate pass will be nothing but nonperishable goods, which will then be donated to the kitchen pantry.
Other exciting activities for the members and the entire family also include the much-awaited Karaoke Night which is held every first Saturday of every month. Nancy beamed at having good singers in the organization, plus there’s the Hot Wheels for kids every third Sunday of every month from 8 in the morning up til 1 in the afternoon. Hot Wheels feature race tracks where kids and kids at heart race their toys and even trade matchbox cars for fun. For this event, no registration is needed.
For charitable deeds, the Marlborough Moose shares its facilities for the weekly meetings of the Boy Scout Troop 303, and for their outdoor campfires, fellowships, and award ceremonies. Don’t forget about the oldies, because Moose also holds its Senior Citizens Barbecue in the heat of the summer which is by far open to the public. The International Moose Charter also supports Mooseheart Child City and School for unfortunate but studiously deserving children and teenagers. Moosehaven is another one of their projects, which is a refuge for the retired members of the organization.